At my job here at Group Health Cooperative of Eau Claire, I get the opportunity to talk to lots of people in my daily life. One frustration people have shared with me is the loss of muscle definition and strength they experience as they age. Many people notice decrease in muscle definition with age, as well as a decrease in metabolism and strength.  However, did you know that this muscle loss phenomenon actually has a name?

Sarcopenia is a term used to describe age-related muscle loss. The fashion in which the body loses strength is a considerable contributor to mobility and disability issues that affect senior citizens worldwide.  Generally speaking, we don’t usually lose our ability to metabolize proteins as we age, but we do lose some ability to create our own proteins as we age.

There are several different causes of sarcopenia. There may be some that a person has no control over such as environmental conditions or disease. But when it comes to the aging process muscle loss can, for the most part, be associated with three factors: motor unit restructuring, protein deficiency and changes in hormone concentrations. Each of these components are separate, however, they work together to generate the loss of muscle coordination due to age and loss of mass that we call sarcopenia.

There is a way to decrease or even stop this muscle loss with age.  A combination of resistance training and proper protein intake can help.  Resistance training can be used to build, maintain or slow the loss of muscle mass. 

And as always, remember when beginning any new workout routine, start slow. This should be a gradual process, as starting with low weights and proper form is essential in preventing injuries. 

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